c 2.R3 

AN ETHICAL CLASSIFICATION 
OF STUDENTS 

G. L. BOWMAN 



AN ETHICAL CLASSIFICATION 
OF STUDENTS 

FOR THE USE OF PARENTS, TEACHERS, 

STUDENTS AND OTHERS INTERESTED 

IN STUDENT DEVELOPMENT 



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BY 

or L. BOWMAN 
Principal of the Dunn County Training School for Teachers 

MENOMONIE, WISCONSIN 



Single Copies 5 cents. In lots of 25 or more 
4 cents per copy. 



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Copyrighted 1 9 1 7 by 
G. L. Bowman 



©CU460887 
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AN ETHICAL CLASSIFICATION 
OF STUDENTS 

BY G. L. BOWMAN 

In all schools or institutions of learning and training, 
pupils and students are passing upward to higher altitudes 
of constructive truth or they are lapsing to lower levels. 
Individuals are never at a real standstill in anj^ process of 
growth and development. 

The following classification presents typical stages be- 
ginning with the highest type of student devel^ment. It 
is far from perfect. It is submitted, however, for the fol- 
lowing practical purposes: 

1. It will materially assist the student in estimating 
his rate of movement up or down. 

2. It forms a more or less intelligent basis upon 
which a teacher or other supervisor of student growth may 
communicate to others impressions of the stage of develop- 
ment of individual learners. 

3. By a careful study of the relative descriptive 
characteristics of each class, many ways and means are 
suggested to both teacher and learner, by which the upward 
progress may be materially stimulated. 

4. It must be remembered that individual students 
are at different levels in different lines of thought and ac- 
tion. To bring all worthful constructive powers approxi- 

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mately to the same and highest level possible should be the 
chief concern of both the teacher and the pupil. 

5. The lowest two classes in this outline are submit- 
ted to make the classification complete. The two classes 
are so dangerous socially as to make it a questionable pol- 
icy to allow either of them to remain in ordinary schools. 

The following are the several classes: 

A. The Master Student. Potential liCader. 

1. Control and action are inspired by true con- 
structive purpose and high ideals. 

2. Subsumes individuals under species and 
genera (classes) readily; and, places, cor- 
rectly, facts under their respective laws and 
principles. 

3. Sees truth continually from higher altitudes 
and hence advances in culture, refinement 
and dependability. 

4. Preparation and recitation increasingly of- 
fered through voluntary initiative. 

5. Strong in co-operative effort to the ends of 
upbuilding. 

6. Make good presiding officers, heads of com- 
mittees and other executive and administra- 
tive functionaries. 

7. Tempers initiative by constant reference to 
the authority of masters and the needs of 
the occasion. 

8. Can find concrete duty by reference to law 
and principle. 

9. Secures opportunity for best personal ad- 
vancement through constructive service to 
others. 

10. Plays the game of life in harmony with the 
constructive laws and principles of truth. 

B. The Disciple Student. Potential Master Stulent. 

1. Control and action inspired by another — the 
master. 

2. Classifies under the guidance of the master 

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teacher and explains under principles of his 
sanction. 

3. Strives to see truth from the altitude of the 
master and emulates his control and vision. 

4. Preparation and recitation given freely un- 
der the guidance of the master teacher. 

5. Co-operates freely when directed by a mas- 
ter spirit exterior to themselves. 

6. Good at following directions, at the same 
time supplementing them with their loyalty 
and intelligence. 

7. Tempers initiative in the light of the mas- 
ter's wishes. 

8. Seeks an appreciation of concrete duty 
through the instruction and guidance of the 
controlling master. 

9. Expects to find occasions to be turned into 
opportunities for advancement by intelli- 
gent loyalty to the master. 

10. Plays the game of life in emulation of the 
master character who inspires it. 

C. Tlie Conscript Student. Potential Disciple Stu- 
dent. 

1. Control and action dictated by another — 
the boss or commander. 

2. Classification and explanation accepted upon 
the authority of the one in control. 

3. Sees truth mainly as authority coming 
from the monarch to whom he is subject. 

4. Preparation and recitation given to suit the 
boss, the commander or the monarch. 

5. Co-operation only so far as the dictation of 
the commander provides. 

6. Needs the presence of the boss, the foreman 
or the driver to secure adherence to the 
prescribed purpose. 

7. Restrains initiative until released by the 
dictation of the leader. 

8. Duty in the concrete extends but little be- 

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yond the blind obedience to the commands 
of the boss. 
9. Expects to find occasions for personal ad- 
vancement largely through the personal fa- 
vor of the boss. 
10. Plays the game of life as a menial if not as 
a complete slave. 

D. The Deceptive Student. Potential Traitor. 

1. Usually immature, sometimes defective, 
very frequently of very narrow vision, or 
may be all of these. 

2. Control and action must be under compe- 
tent guardianship. 

3. Moves along lines of least immediate resist- 
ance. 

4. Preparation and recitation always done un- 
der protest if there be immediate difficulty. 

5. Co-operation usually for immediate selfish 
ends, which are as a rule destructive to up- 
building aims. 

6. Needs the constant presence of the guardian 
to restrain evil choices and control tenden- 
cies to bad actions. 

7. Tempers initiative almost constantly in the 
light of least immediate resistance. 

8. The sense of concrete duty is very weak 
with no appreciation of the principle of 
duty. 

9. Expects to secure personal advancement by 
deceiving the guardian. 

10. Accepts the game of life with selfish emo- 
tions and under the compelling force of 
guardianship. 

E. The Traitor Student. Potential Dynamic Traitor. 

1. Inclined strongly to aims, purposes and 
ideals of destruction. 

2. Control and action needs to be under the 
dictation of the armed guard — the warden. 



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This type really has no place in the ordin- 
ary schools. 

3. Has a strong desire to follow lines of de- 
structive action. Seems to have lost all pow- 
er of vision for constructive aims and 
ideals. 

4. Preparation and recitation have no place in 
their scheme of living. Rehearsals may 
have. 

5. Individuals of this type readily offer them- 
selves for organized destruction. 

6. This type chafes under restraints of the 
guard and yet it is unsafe unless restraintd. 

7. Tempers and gauges initiative almost en- 
tirely on the possibility of gaining a selfish 
advantage over others. 

8. Appreciation of duty extends no farther 
than emphatic self-centered satisfaction. 

9. Expects to secure personal advancement by 
taking dishonest and unjust advantage of 
others. * 

10. Accepts no part in the game of constructive 
life by choice, but prefers to play out en- 
ergies in support of the destructive princi- 
ple. 

F. The Dynamic Traitor. The Potential Tyrant. 

1. Control and action governed by demoniacal 
vision to the end of managing and uniting 
forces of destruction. 

2. This type needs the prison, the armed guard 
to restrain it. 

3. Here are the viciously insane, the criminally 
insane, the murderer and all seriously de- 
fective. 

4. This type, of course, has no place in the 
ordinary school or institution of construc- 
tive study. 

5. No loyalty is ever given to any scheme of 
uplifting effort. 

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6. These train in the schools of vice and 
crime and are therefore skilled in a high de- 
gree in dissembling, cheating, lying, betray- 
ing and stealing. 

7. Tempers and gauges initiative solely upon 
the possibility of successful exploitation of 
friend or foe in the interests of selfish evil 
ends. 

8. Stubbornly maintains the only duty to be 
to serve self, and self only, no matter at 
whose expense. 

9. Intends to gain personal power and person- 
al advancement solely by the destruction of 
others and their dearest interests. 

10. Plays the game of life with fiendish enthusi- 
asm in harmony with the principles of de- 
ception, destruction and death. 

The constructive reformer, be he parent, teacher or 
statesman, keeps ever alive the hope that some means will 
be found by which individuals of the lowest class may be 
induced to move upward to the highest. 

No matter how discouraging the outlook the true 
teacher will endeavor to urge upward the lowest type with- 
out at the same time impeding the progress of others to- 
wards constructive leadership. 



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